Worth it
by Oblivian03
Summary: Fili lies strew across a field, Kili at his side. This is how they are found, yet one soul is still furiously trying to keep its grip on the most precious thing in existence. One shot. WARNING: Spoilers for the BOFA.


**I do not own the Hobbit.**

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**I had this as an idea for what might happen in the BOFA (spoilers). In any case, I decided to write it and though it turned out funny in some parts, I suppose it is alright for a drabble like thing. Enjoy. **

**Also, in regards to anyone who is reading 'Between a Bear and a Dark Place' I am sorry about the length in updating, but I was more motivated to write this than the next chapter. I am also very busy - every time I think it is cooling down I get hit with another boatload of work. I will try my best to update soon, but no promises. Again, sorry. **

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The battle had ended, Azog defeated by Beron, Blog defeated by Legolas himself. Her shoulder still ached from when it had been yanked viciously back by an orc attempting to stop her from going to the aid of one of her comrades. It had paid the price for making such a mistake, the creature's head lost somewhere in the sea of tangled arms, legs and shields.

Tauriel blinked as she stared up at the eagles of whom were still cutting through the sky with their powerful wings. She looked to the small fires still alight from when flaming missiles had hit trees and wooden barricades. One such barricade stood before her, the dried blood on its makeshift walls slowly being eaten by the tendrils of orange and red climbing up its length.

_What am I doing?_ The thought rung in the elf's head, shaking her from the stupor that had been brought on by the surprising fact they had won, that she had survived. _I should be looking for him…them…._

As the cogs in her brain began to turn, Tauriel blinked again looking down to her leg and the superficial wound upon it. Shaking the red hair out of her face, she began to move inward towards where the center of the battle had taken place. It had been the direction Legolas had taken, the place where she had last seen the dwarf and his brother.

Weaving her way through the obstacles in her path, Tauriel scanned her soundings. Every so often she would stumble, her bad leg buckling only to be saved by a quick transferal of weight. Nearing the more devastated part of the plain that had been fought upon, the elfish warrior drew short and screwed her face up in distaste.

Nothing could have prepared her for the carnage that was displayed so openly and crudely.

Bodies were piled at least three high from the ground, if it was even ground that they laid on. All sorts of machines lay broken and discarded among the blatant face of death, a face that's eyes were empty of life and teeth tainted with bloodied flesh. To Tauriel's left, a little in the distance splayed the body of an eagle, seemingly brought down in the last moments of the battle, the only of its kind to have fallen. The sight of such a magnificent bird trapped on the ground with a gaping hole in its chest the size of a small boulder made the elf swallow down her last meal a second time.

_Get a hold of yourself. It's nothing you haven't seen before in Laketown._

It was nothing she had seen either.

Her feet gaining momentum once again, Tauriel picked her way around exposed entrails and dismembered limbs alike, eyes searching. _Show me a sign, _she pleaded, _a sign of someone, anyone. I don't care which it is, just tell me that at least one of them is still alive._

A soft grunt of pain caused her gaze to swing around. There, pinned down by the head of a warg, torso still caught up in the beast's jaws, laid a brown haired dwarf.

"Kil-" Her cry cut short when the fallen warrior glanced at her with an expression akin to that of combined confusion and hostility.

"Get away from me, elf."

Tauriel was surprised at how well the dwarf could string together the venomous words considering the amount of blood that accompanied them through his lips.

"I want no help from your k-" The stranger broke off, chocking for a moment before every muscle in his body released a final time.

Tauriel bit her lip, wondering what to do as she stared at the glazed green eyes before settling to just walk away. She would not disrespect the last wishes of the dwarf, as scathing as they had been.

Walking through the remains of those she knew and those she did not, Tauriel bent down every so often to check for a pulse or to offer a gesture of kindness to those who were drawing in their final breaths. Those of her own race accepted each offer graciously, and the men among the fallen left the world in a mixture of awe and resentment at both her elven beauty and her kind's part in their death. The dwarves she came across displayed the harshest reactions, yet every so often they would grasp her hand in a show of goodwill and thanks.

"We may hold grudges against the each other's kind, but for now let us part as friends," were the words of one older dwarf. They had been the last words he had spoken, to both her and his grieving son. Though moved, neither where who Tauriel was searching for.

Red and black and dirty blond. Muddy browns and greys. Through the sea of dulled colours the elven maid could not distinguish the either the shining white blonde or the carefree brown that would ease the worry growing in her heart. A small wind whipped around her, blowing strands of her own hair across her face. Again Tauriel winced as she stumbled, placing more weight than her injured leg could hold. A half dead orc threw out its arm in an attempt to snag her ankle, bringing the elf crashing to the ground even as she drove a blade into its already mauled face.

"Omph." The sound escaped her lips without consent, her abused shoulder beginning to make itself known once again. Rolling off the appendage, Tauriel spat out the blonde hair that had become caught in her mouth. She raised her head and stopped, familiar blue eyes starring back at her in what could be described as annoyance for pinning down him by his hair.

Only these blue eyes didn't have a live and beating pulse to match the expression.

Tauriel sat up, her eyes scanning her surrounds once again. A pang of grief struck her heart at the waste of a young and promising life, yet it was tapered by a spark of hope. If she had found the blonde, than his brother had to be somewhere close by. Even she knew that it was nigh impossible to separate one from the other. The instance at Laketown had more than proved it.

"Kili."

For a moment there was no response and the elf had no choice but to fear the worst. Then time moved on and a groaning of her name drew Tauriel's eyes to a figure half concealed by a decapitated orc.

"Kili." This time she said his name with a breathless tone that spoke of disbelief.

The young dwarf smiled wearily. "I thought you would never come."

Tauriel watched as Kili's chest struggled to rise, the weight of his destroyed armor coupled with more than one arrow shaft appearing to heavy for the exhausted dwarf to handle. Blood dressed his stomach, flowing from a missing digit on his right hand and the lesser wound it covered. The brunette's face had already been dusted white in preparation for his departure, yet the flame of life was still present in his tired eyes.

"You look as though you have seen the rougher side of the battle." Tauriel's observation was just that, a façade to mask the truth of the matter before her.

Kili grinned, closing his eyes. "And you look….as though you did not."

"I am merely better at defending myself." Looking around, Tauriel cursed inwardly at the lack of life on the surrounding horizons.

"You've just had more…practice."

Looking down, Tauriel winced at what she saw. "Aye. Practice would have played a part," she acknowledged. "It's what helped us to win."

Kili wheezed away for a moment. "And was…it worth…winning?" he finally asked.

Tauriel closed her eyes and breathed through her nose. _Was it worth it?_ She looked to the dwarf below her and then to his brother. _No._

"It was worth all it could be worth," she answered.

Kili tweaked one corner of his mouth before flicking his eyes up to the sky blearily. "At least…you got to…see the stars."

Tauriel bit her lip, her concerns not lying with what might be glowing in the heavens above. "Conserve your energy, I need to get you to a healer."

For the first time since she had come upon him Kili looked at the elf, his gaze just meeting her eyes.

"No," he said simply. "Fili…stayed with…me when I…was wounded and…I must…stay with…him."

"Then I will fetch you help." Tauriel was panicked at the amount of blood that had gathered around the young dwarf's chest.

Kili shook his head as best as he was able with it still laying on the ground. "Nay. I…must….accompany my…brother. He…would do…the same…for…me."

Tauriel snorted. "He would not want you to die for him."

It was with a sad, but knowing gaze of which Kili fixed the elf with. "He…is…my…brother. I…would…follow…him…anywhere."

It was then Tauriel knew she was fighting a losing battle, for not only was Kili clearly not going to allow her to help, she did not think that he would be able to be helped at this point. All she could do now was to remain crouched where she was, trying to bring comfort to the rapidly fading spirit of the shell before her.

"I am sure he would understand."

A voice broke through the calm of her words. "They are over here!"

Swinging her head around, Tauriel saw several dwarves coming towards her, all of which she recongised.

"Move aside, elf," growled the tallest of the three, a dark frown dressing his forehead.

Tauriel moved aside without complaint. "He does not have long."

A glance was shot her way by the dwarf she had come to know as Bofur before the dwarf kneeled beside his burlier companion at Kili's side. Their red bearded companion bent to check for a sign of life from the long gone blonde, shaking his head discreetly when there was none to be found. It was with a grim tone that the other two turned to the remaining brother.

"It'll be alright, lad," the tattooed dwarf murmured, his large hands strangely gentle as he stroked Kili's unruly hair back into place.

Bofur, however, had turned to Tauriel. "Can you not cure him like you did before?"

"No," Tauriel answered, her doing its best to break, "I cannot. His ailment does not stem from poison, and I doubt even my king would be able to heal his wounds."

"Then what are you doing here?" The words were sharp, almost painfully so.

Tauriel swallowed and stood slowly, watching for one last moment as life still thrived in Kili's eyes. The brunette caught her gaze and weakly tweaked the corner of his mouth before his attention turned to his brother only a few feet away where the third dwarf still stood. His mouth moved to form words that only those with exceptional hearing could pick up.

"I'm coming, Fili."

Then he was gone.

Tauriel spun around on her heels, walking away from the site so as to start a search for her prince and king, leaving the youth's companions to mourn at his passing in peace.

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**Note: **

**Please don't go off at me for however you perceive Tauriel and Kili's relationship is written in this fic (I'm not entirely sure what it is). I merely wanted to write what I thought the final scene for Kili would look like if Tauriel came upon him when he was dying, and Fili had already died (would be an acceptable, although not desired, ending for him at least in the coming movie).**

**On another note, I would be extremely happy if you could take the time to leave a review. **


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